our only hope now。
〃Don't lose sight of your father for a moment； my son。 He is not well and gets easily fatigued； and although he is greatly elated over his promised success； as we all areand he certainly deserves to beI think you will see a great change in him these last few months。 I would not have consented to his going had not Nathan gone with him。 Nathan insists upon paying the expenses of the trip； he says it is only fair that he should； as your father has given him an interest in the motor。 I earnestly hope for some results； for I shall have no peace until the whole amount of the mortgage is paid back to the bank and you and Mr。 Cobb are released from the burden； so heavy on you； my boy。
〃There is no other news to tell you。 Sue Clayton brought her boy in to…day。 He is a sweet little fellow and has Sue's eyes。 She has named him John Clayton； after her father。 They have made another attempt to find the Colonel's body on the battle…field； but without success。 I am afraid it will never be recovered。
〃Lavinia sends her love。 She has been much better lately。 Her army hospital work has weighed upon her； I think。 Three years was too long。
〃I have the last newspaper notices of your academy picture pinned on my cushion； and I show them to everybody who comes in。 They always delight me。 You have had a hard fight； my son； but you are winning now。 No one rejoices more than I do in your success。 As you said in your last letter； the times have really changed。 They certainly have for me。 Sorrow and suffering have made me see many things in a different light these last few years。
〃Malachi and Hannah are well； but the old man seems quite feeble at times。
〃Your loving mother；
〃Sallie T。 Horn。〃
Dear lady； with your soft white hair and deep brown eyes that have so often looked into mine！ How dreary were those long days of hate and misery！ How wise and helpful you were to every living soul who sought your aid； friend and foe alike。 Your great heart sheltered and comforted them all。
Oliver read the letter through and put his lips to the signature。 In all his life he had never failed to kiss his mother's name at the bottom of her letters。 The only difference was that now he kissed them with an added reverence。 The fact of his having proved himself right and her wrong in the choice of his profession made loyalty with him the more tender。
〃Dear； dear mother！〃 he said to himself。 〃You have had so much trouble lately； and you have been so plucky through it all。〃 He stopped； looked dreamily across the room； and added with a sigh： 〃But she has not said one word about Madge； not one single word。 She doesn't answer that part of my letter； she doesn't intend to。〃
Then he opened the other communication which read：
〃Dear Mr。 Horn： Please call here in the morning。 I have some good news for you。
〃John Snedecor。〃
Oliver turned the picture…dealer's letter over； peered into the envelope as if he expected to find some trace of the good news tucked away in its corners； lifted the tray holding his frugal breakfast； and laid it on the floor outside his door ready for the janitor's morning round。 Then； picking up his hat； he locked his door； hung an 〃out card〃 on the knob； and； strolling downstairs； stepped into the fresh morning air。 He knew the dealer well。 He had placed two of old Mr。 Crocker's pictures with himone of which had been sold。
When he reached Snedecor's gallery he found the big window surrounded with a crowd gazing intently at an upright portrait in a glittering gold frame； to which was affixed an imposing…looking name…plate bearing the inscription：
〃THE WOMAN IN BLACK； BY OLIVER HORN〃
So this was Snedecor's good news！
Oliver made his way through the crowd and into the open door of the shopthe shop was； in front； the gallery in the rearand found the proprietor leaning over a case filled with artists' supplies。
〃Has she had it FRAMED； Snedecor？〃 asked Oliver； with a light laugh。
〃Not to any alarming extent！ I made that frame for Mr。 Peter Fish。 She sent it here for sale； and Fish bought it。 He's wild about it。 Says it's the best thing since Sully。 He wants you to paint his daughter； that's what I wanted to see you about。 Great card for you； Mr。 Horn。 I congratulate you！〃
Oliver gave a low whistle。 His own good fortune was for the moment forgotten in his surprise at the woman's audacity。 Selling a sketch painted by one of the club！ one which had virtually been GIVEN to her。
〃Poor Bianchi！ He does pick up the queerest people。 I wonder if she was out of stockings；〃 he said half…aloud。
〃Oh； you needn't worry about the Madame； she won't suffer for clothes as long as she's got that pair of eyes in her head。 You just ought to have seen her handle old Fish。 It was beautiful。 But； see here now； you don't want to make old Peter a present of this portrait of his daughter。 He's good for a thousand； I tell you。 She got a cracking price for that one；〃 and he pointed to the picture。
Again Oliver laughed。
〃A cracking price？ She must have needed the money bad。〃 The more he thought of it the funnier it seemed。
Snedecor looked surprised。 He was thinking of Fish's order and the amount of his commission。 Most of Oliver's remarks were unintelligible to himespecially his reference to the stockings。
〃What shall I say to him？〃 Snedecor asked at last。
〃Oh； nothing in particular。 Just send him to my studio。 I'll be in all to…morrow morning。〃
〃Well； but don't you think you'd better go and see him yourself now？ He's too big a bug to run after people。 That kind of thing don't come every day； you know； you might lose it。 Why； he lives right near you in that swell house across the Square。〃
〃Oh； I know him very well；〃 said Oliver； nodding his head。 〃No； let him come to…morrow to me； it won't hurt him to walk up three flights of stairs。 I'm busy to…day。 Now I think of it； there's one thing； though； you CAN tell him； and please be particular about itthere will be no advance over my regular price。 I don't care to compete with her ladyship。〃
Without waiting to hear the dealer's protest he stepped outside the shop and joined the crowd about the window； elbowing each other for a better view of the portrait。 No one recognized him。 He was too obscure for that。 They might after this； he thought with an exultant throb； and a flush of pride crossed his face。
As he walked down Broadway a sense of the humor of the whole situation came over him。 Here for years he had been working day and night； running the gauntlet of successive juries and hanging committees； with his best things rejected or skied until his Tam…o'…Shanter girl made a hit； worrying； hoping against hope； racking his brain as to how and when and where he would find the path which would lead him to commercial successa difficult task for one too proud to beg for favors and too independent to seek another's aidand here； out of the clear sky； had come this audacious Bohemienne； the pet of foyer and studioa woman who presented the greatest number of contrasts to the things he held most dear in womankindand with a single stroke had cleared the way to success for him。 And this； too； not from any love of him； nor his work； nor his future； but simply to settle a board…bill or pay for a bonnet。
Again Oliver laughed； this time so loudly that the man in front turned and looked at him。
〃A cracking price；〃 he kept repeating to himself； 〃a cracking price； eh？ and out of old Peter Fish！ Went fishing for minnows and hooked a whale； and another little fish for me！ I wonder what she baited her hook with。 That woman's a genius。〃
Suddenly he caught sight of the sign of a Long Island florist set up in an apothecary's window between the big green and red glass globes that lined its sides。
Turning on his heel he entered the door。
〃Pick me out a dozen red japonicas；〃 he said to the boy behind the counter。
Oliver waited until each short…stemmed blossom was carefully selected； laid on its bed of raw cotton； blanketed with the same covering； and packed in a paper box。 Then； taking a card from his pocket； he wrote upon its back： 〃Most grateful thanks for my share of the catch；〃 slipped it into an envelope； addressed it to 〃The fair Fisher； The Countess Kovalski；〃 and； with a grim smile on his face； kept on down Broadway toward the dingy hotel； the resort of all the Southerners of the time； to arrange for rooms for his father and Nathan Gill。
Having； with his card and his japonicas； dismissed the Countess from his mind； and to a certain extent his obligations； the full importance of this new order of Peter Fish's began to take possession of him。 The color rose in his cheeks and an old…time spring and lightness came into his steps。 He knew that such a commission； and from such a man； would at once gain for him a recognition from art patrons and a standing among the dealers。 Lasting success was now assured him in the line he had chosen for his life's work。 It only remained for him to do the best that was in him。 Better than all； it had come to him unasked and without any compromising effort on his own part。
He knew the connoisseur's collection。 It filled the large gallery adjoining his extensive home on Washington Square and was not only the best in the city； containing as it did examples of Sir Thomas Lawrence； Sir Joshua Reynolds； Chrome； Sully； and many of the modern French schoolamong them two fine Courbets and a Rousseaubut it had lately been enriched by one or more important American landscapes； notably Sanford Gifford's 〃Catskill Gorge〃 and Church's 〃Tropics〃two canvases which had attracted more than usual attention at the Spring Exhibition of the Academy。 An order； therefore； for a family portrait from so distinguished a patron not only gave weight and dignity to the work of any painter he might select； but it would unquestionably influence his many friends and acquaintances to go and do likewise。
As Oliver； his eyes aglow； his whole heart filled with joy； stepped quickly down the street the beauty of the day made him throw back his shoulders and drink in long deep breaths； as if he would fill his very pores with its vitality。 These early spring days in New Yorkthe most beautiful the world over； not even in Italy can one find bet